YAI - bFair2DirectCarehttps://www.yai.org/tags/bfair2directcare
enVoices Heard in Albanyhttps://www.yai.org/news-stories/blog/voices-heard-albany
<div class="field-title-field title_icon"><h1 class="title">Voices Heard in Albany</h1>
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<div class="field-date"><span class="date-display-single">Wed, February 20, 2019</span></div>
<div class="field-body"><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="/sites/default/files/styles/inline-center/public/inline-images/blog/albany.png?itok=sDRum4Jn" alt="(From left to right) Loretta, YAI Self Advocacy President Janice, Lee, Kevin, Kisha, and Jennifer in front of the Capitol Buildi" title="(From left to right) Loretta, YAI Self Advocacy President Janice, Lee, Kevin, Kisha, and Jennifer in front of the Capitol Building" class="media-style-center" style="auto; max-width: 60%;" width="720" height="704" /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; color: #202020; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">(From left to right) Loretta, YAI Self Advocacy President Janice, Lee, Kevin, Kisha, and Jennifer in front of the Capitol Building</span></i></p><p>On February 11, a group of 47 people including people we support, YAI self advocates, family members, and staff braved the cold weather and took the trip to Albany to join the New York Alliance for Inclusion and Innovation in advocating for the needs of people with disabilities.</p><p>Upon arriving in Albany, the group from YAI received a briefing from Queens Regional Director David O'Keefe and Chief Program Officer Ravi Dahiya. Everyone then headed downtown to dinner and to discuss advocacy objectives. The group as a whole decided our efforts should focus on the #bFair2DirectCare campaign. This campaign is to remind state leaders that the nearly 100,000 DSPs who work for nonprofit agencies do this work on behalf of the state. Each person in the group shared how much they appreciated the hard work of direct support professionals.</p><p>On February 12, the group headed over to the Capitol Building to rally in support of the #bFair2DirectCare campaign and demanded ongoing funding to ensure staff is fairly compensated. YAI was by far one of the largest groups there. YAI representatives presented so impressively that leaders at the New York Alliance got in contact with YAI Self Advocacy President Janice McPhillips and family members Theresa and Albert Muga to see if they can speak at future rallies and advocacy events. </p><p>Special thanks to the YAI staff who took lead in each region to make sure the self advocates had proper support to travel safely and confidently speak up. </p><h3>TOGETHER WE ARE BETTER.</h3><p></p></div>
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<div class="field-tags inline"><a href="/tags/self-advocacy-0">Self Advocacy</a></div>
<div class="field-tags inline"><a href="/tags/albany">Albany</a></div>
<div class="field-tags inline"><a href="/tags/bfair2directcare">bFair2DirectCare</a></div>
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Fri, 08 Mar 2019 22:00:25 +0000cathy bechler5136 at https://www.yai.orghttps://www.yai.org/news-stories/blog/voices-heard-albany#commentsYAI Takes Albany by Storm!https://www.yai.org/news-stories/blog/yai-takes-albany-storm
<div class="field-title-field title_icon"><h1 class="title">YAI Takes Albany by Storm!</h1>
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<h3 class="field-label">Author</h3>
<div class="field-author"><a href="/people/yai-communications">YAI Communications</a></div>
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<div class="field-date"><span class="date-display-single">Wed, February 21, 2018</span></div>
<div class="field-body"><p><img src="/sites/default/files/styles/inline-left/public/inline-images/blog/unnamed-2.jpg?itok=J4kj-gPc" alt="2 men and 2 women standing on the steps of the assembly chamber" title="Staff and self advocates on the steps of the assembly chamber!" class="media-style-inline-left" width="720" height="540" /></p><p>Last Tuesday, 33 people from across YAI went to Albany to join the New York Alliance for Inclusion and Innovation in their lobbying efforts. With such wide representation from the agency, we were able to meet with 40 different elected officials or their chiefs of staff! The group was able to thank their elected officials for supporting a living wage for Direct Support Professionals. YAI's representatives advocated for our elected officials continue to support the <a href="http://www.bfair2directcare.com/" target="_blank">#bFair2DirectCare Campaign</a> and accelerate the time frames of the salary installments from six years to three years. </p><p><img src="/sites/default/files/styles/inline-right/public/inline-images/blog/unnamed-3.jpg?itok=S5cJ5BMc" alt="Group of 8 people stand and pose for the camera" title="Meeting with Assemblyman Michael Benedetto (back row, 2nd from left)" class="media-style-inline-right" width="720" height="540" />Assemblyman Michael Miller (District 38) joined YAI on Monday night for dinner. Assemblyman Miller helped the group prepare for Tuesday's lobbying efforts by sharing tips on how to best advocate. On Tuesday, Assemblyman Miller invited YAI to be announced in the Assembly Chamber as the assembly was in session! Assemblyman Edward Braunstein (District 26) and Assemblywoman Stacey Pfeffer Amato (District 23) joined us for a photo op. The group then got a chance to sit down with Assemblyman Braunstein in his office. Mr. Braunstein is familiar with YAI as he has visited one of our programs in the past, attended a Queens Dinner Dance and does his food shopping at the Stop &amp; Shop that employees our very own Dorothy L., a resident of a YAI IRA in Little Neck. Overall, the trip was a great way for YAI to show our commitment to advocacy and to taking action!</p></div>
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<div class="field-tags inline"><a href="/tags/advocacy">advocacy</a></div>
<div class="field-tags inline"><a href="/tags/albany">Albany</a></div>
<div class="field-tags inline"><a href="/tags/inclusion">Inclusion</a></div>
<div class="field-tags inline"><a href="/tags/lobbying">lobbying</a></div>
<div class="field-tags inline"><a href="/tags/bfair2directcare">bFair2DirectCare</a></div>
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Wed, 21 Feb 2018 20:59:28 +0000cathy bechler4274 at https://www.yai.orghttps://www.yai.org/news-stories/blog/yai-takes-albany-storm#comments